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Brendan Cullen
I am a 3rd-year PhD student and National Science Foundation GRFP Fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon. My work in the Social and Affective Neuroscience Lab focuses on applied predictive modeling of real-world health behaviors and health outcomes in an effort to advance a precision medicine framework for behavioral health. As an aspiring data scientist, my goal is to implement my skills as a researcher in an applied industry setting focused on supporting health and wellness across the lifespan.
Education
PhD Student, Psychology
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
2022 - 2017
- My research takes a translational (neuro)science approach toward predictive modeling of real-world health behaviors and health outcomes within a precision medicine framework.
MS, Pyschology
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
2019 - 2017
- Thesis: Comparing cognitive and affective predictors of craving
BA, Neuroscience
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
2015 - 2011
- Thesis: Neurophysiological correlates of self-referential activity in meditators and non-meditators
Honors & Awards
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
National Science Foundation
N/A
2023 - 2018
Center on Parenting and Opioids Pilot & Training Core Travel Award
University of Oregon
N/A
2020
Graduate School “Special Opps” Travel & Research Award
University of Oregon
N/A
2020
Graduate Education Committee Travel Award
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon
N/A
2019
Graduate School Recruitment Award
University of Oregon
N/A
2017
Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellow
Mind and Life Institute
N/A
2017
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies Scholarship
Mind and Life Institute
N/A
2017
BA in Neuroscience with Highest Honors, Summa Cum Laude
Middlebury College
N/A
2015
Elected to Phi Beta Kappa
Middlebury College
N/A
2015
Dean’s Honor List (8 semesters)
Middlebury College
N/A
2015 - 2011
Rosalin Lieberman-Reiss Memorial Award
Department of Psychology, Middlebury College
N/A
2015
- Awarded to a graduating senior who shows the greatest promise to contribute to the treatment and cure of severe mental illness.
Mind and Life Summer Research Institute Fellow
Mind and Life Institute
N/A
2015
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies Scholarship
Mind and Life Institute
N/A
2014
Academic Conference Travel Fund Award
Middlebury College
N/A
2014
Senior Research Project Supplement
Middlebury College
N/A
2014
Bicentennial Fund for Research Partnerships in the Sciences Fellowship
Middlebury College
N/A
2014
Fred M. Roddy Research Fellowship in Biomedical Science
Middlebury College
N/A
2013
Professional Research Experience
Graduate Employee
Social and Affective Neuroscience Lab
University of Oregon
2020 - 2017
- Chose self-report measures and co-designed interventions for NCI-funded RCT comparing behavioral response and cognitive reappraisal interventions for de-valuing unhealthy food
- Assisted with fMRI data collection
Research Assistant
Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab
Brown University
2017 - 2015
- Scored and cleaned self-report data (20+ measures) from an NIH-funded 3-armed RCT comparing focused awareness meditation, open-monitoring meditation, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on clinical efficacy for depression
- Led a project analyzing the effects of social relationship factors on clinical outcomes in mindfulness-based interventions
- Conducted an independent project investigating the effects of meditation training on EEG and behavioral measures of self-referential processing
Research Assistant
Embodied Neuroscience Lab
Brown University
2017 - 2015
- Conducted data collection sessions for pilot RCT entitled “Effects of Qigong on a Multi-System Neuro-muscular-immune Model of Fatigue in Cancer Survivorship” aka “The Vitality Project”
- Designed and implemented software to implement novel EEG paradigm for measuring neural correlates of tactile acuity and precision grip in fatigued cancer survivors
- Co-designed an EEG-based neurophenomenology study about the development and implementation of “Neurofeedback Informed Meditation Techniques” for targeted neuromodulation
Recruitment Specialist
Women’s Medicine Collaborative,
Miriam Hospital
Providence, RI
2016
- Developed strategies to recruit female cancer survivors to participate in the Vitality Project, a pilot RCT testing different biobehavioral mechanisms of reducing cancer-related fatigue
Research Assistant
Social Psychology of Meditation Lab
Middlebury College
2015 - 2014
- Conducted a study on relationship between mindfulness, hormones, empathy, and prosocial behavior: recruited and interviewed participants, administered surveys and cognitive tests, and analyzed salivary cortisol and testosterone assays
Research Assistant
Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Lab
Middlebury College
2014 - 2013
- Assisted with experiments on the dose-dependent effects of testosterone replacement on spatial memory: performed animal surgeries and perfusions, behavioral testing, prepared brain samples, and collected microscopy data
Teaching Experience
I am passionate about education. I believe that no topic is too complex if the teacher is empathetic and willing to think about new methods of approaching task.
Lab Instructor
University of Oregon
2020
- Designed and taught lab sections on Correlations, Univariate Regression and the General Linear Model, Regression with Categorical Predictors, Interactions, and Factorial ANOVA.
Lab Instructor
University of Oregon
2019
- Designed and taught lab sections on R Basics and Descriptive Statistics, Matrix Algebra, Data Transformation with dyplr, Pre-registration, and Paired samples t-tests.
Teaching Assistant
PSYC 301: Physiological Psychology
Middlebury College
2015
- Assisted with lab teaching, held exam review sessions, prepared experimental equipment, and conducted animal testing for student data collection
Workshops Taught
Introduction to Git and Github
First Year Seminar
University of Oregon
2020
- Gave introductory workshop to first-year psychology PhD and Masters students on using Git and Github for version control.
Intermediate Git and Github
UO Data Science Club
University of Oregon
2019
- Gave intermediate Git/Github workshop to members of the University of Oregon’s Data Science Club.
Publications
Dismantling Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Creation and validation of 8-week Focused Attention and Open Monitoring interventions within a 3-armed randomized controlled trial
Behaviour and Research Therapy, 101, 92-107.
N/A
2018
- Britton, W.B., Davis, J., Loucks, E.B., Peterson, B., Cullen, B., Reuter, L., Rando, A., Rahrig, H., Lipsky, J. & Lindahl, J. (2018).
Comparing embodiment experiences in expert meditators and non-meditators
Consciousness and Cognition, 65, 325-333.
N/A
2018
- Xu, A., Cullen, B., Penner, C., Zimmerman, C., Kerr, C.E., Schmalzl, L. (2018)
Dose-dependent effects of testosterone on spatial memory in adult male rats
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 89, 120-130.
N/A
2018
- Wagner, B., Braddick, V. Batson, C., Cullen, B., Miller, E. & Spritzer, M. (2018).
Selected Poster Presentations
Cognitive versus affective predictors of craving
Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Portland, OR
2019
- Cullen, B., DeStasio, K., Cosme, D., & Berkman, E.T. (2019)
Personalized stop-signal training to improve inhibitory control among adults who experienced early adversity
Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Portland, OR
2019
- DeStasio, K., Cullen, B., Shaffer, K., & Berkman, E.T. (2019)
Teacher effects in a school-based mindfulness intervention
Mind and Life Summer Research Institute
Garrison, NY
2017
- Cullen, B., Canby, N., & Britton, W. B.
Sustained Attention in Focused Attention versus Open Monitoring Meditation: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Changes
29th Association for Psychological
Science Annual Convention
Boston, MA
2017
- Eichel, K., Essien, G., Cullen, B., Rogers, A. & Britton, W.B.
Dose-dependent effects of testosterone on spatial memory in young and adult male rats
International Meeting for Steroids and the
Nervous System
Turin, Italy
2017
- Spritzer, M.D., Batson, C.G., Braddick, V.C., Chyr, C.U., Cullen, B., Goins, E.C., Jaeger, E.C.B., Miller, L.E., Super, C., & Wagner, B.A.
An Open-Source System for EEG Neurofeedback and Transcranial Current Stimulation Control: Applications for Meditation Research
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies,
Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
San Diego, CA
2016
- Cullen, B., Santoyo, J., Black, C., McFarlane-Blake, C. & Kerr, C.
A Neurofeedback Informed Meditation Technique (NIMT) for modulating posterior cingulate cortex activity—proof-of concept for a novel mental-training paradigm with clinical applications
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies,
Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
San Diego, CA
2016
- Santoyo, J., Cullen, B., & Kerr, C.
Neurophysiological correlates of self-referential activity in meditators and non-meditators
Mind and Life Summer Research Institute
Garrison, NY
2015
- Cullen, B., Bruns, M., Paritsky, A., McGuirk, E., Ogle, T., Kimble, M., & Cronise, K.
Neurophysiological correlates of self-referential activity in meditators and non-meditators
Advances in Meditation Research
New York, NY
2015
- Cullen, B., Bruns, M., Paritsky, A., McGuirk, E., Ogle, T., Kimble, M., & Cronise, K.
Effects of testosterone dose on spatial memory in adult male rats
Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting
Washington, D.C.
2014
- Cullen, B., Spritzer, M., Batson, C., Spillane, S., & Wagner, B.
Talks
Dismantling effects of focused attention and open monitoring techniques in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for affective disturbances
Annual Meeting and Expo of the American
Public Health Association
Atlanta, GA
2017
- Chang, B., Cullen, B., Kini, N., Rahrig, H., & Britton, W.
Movement, Embodiment and Interoception in the Context of Contemplative Practices
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies
San Diego, CA
2016
- Schmalzl, L., Powers, C., Yetz, N., Groessl, EJ., Saron, C., Kerr, C., Zimmerman, C., Cullen, B., Clark, D., Mostofsky, SH., Feinstein, J., Khalsa, S., Simmons, K., & Paulus, M.
Effects of focused attention and open monitoring meditation on sustained attention
International Symposium for Contemplative Studies
San Diego, CA
2016
- Eichel, K., Cullen, B., & Britton, W.
Workshops & Training
Introduction to Machine Learning with the Tidyverse
rstudio::conf(2020)
San Francisco, CA
2020
- Two-day workshop on machine learning with tidymodels taught by Alison Hill
Service & Leadership
Lab Tour Guide
Intel Science Fair
Eugene, OR
2018
Co-organizer
Mindfulness, Healing and Empathy in Healthcare Speaker Series,
Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
Providence, RI
2016